Daily Update: Outfield shortage, notes, minors

It will be interesting to see who is in the Padres outfield Monday night as they open a three-game series against the Dodgers at Petco Park.

Left fielder Ryan Ludwick was traded Sunday to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Will Venable has missed the last three starts with back spasms. And Chris Denorfia left Sunday’s game with a right hamstring strain of unknown severity.

The Padres finished Sunday’s game with first-third baseman Jesus Guzman in right field and Kyle Blanks in left.

Aaron Cunningham has been recalled from Triple-A Tucson to take Ludwick’s place on the 25-man roster. But the Padres might need another outfielder if Denorfia’s injury is serious.

The remaining outfielders at Tucson are Cedric Hunter, Matt Clark, Eric Patterson, Bobby Kielty and James Darnell, who is hitting only .266 with the T-Padres since being promoted from Double-A San Antonio. The leading candidate might be Blake Tekotte at San Antonio, who hit .158 with the Padres earlier this season in a two-week cameo with the Padres.

The Daily Five (Notes, Stats and Numbers)

--OF Chris Denorfia, who strained his right hamstring Sunday, is hitless in 14 straight at-bats and is hitting .174 (16-for-92) with two doubles and five RBI since June 18. His averaged has tumbled from .309 to .261.

--INF-OF Jesus Guzman was 2-for-4 Sunday with a double and three RBI. He is hitting .333 with four homers and 21 RBI in 84 at-bats since being promoted from Triple-A Tucson on June 16. Guzman is hitting .484 (15-for-31) with four homers and 13 RBI at Petco Park and .381 (16-for-42) against left-handed pitching with two homers and seven RBI.

--Three top prospects have been struggling with their new teams after m idseason promotions. 2B Cory Spangenberg, the 10th overall pick in the June draft, is hitting .154 with a .239 on-base percentage at low Single-A Fort Wayne after being promoted from short-season Eugene, where he was hitting .384 with a .545 on-base percentage. 3B Jedd Gyorko is hitting .257 two homers and 17 RBI in 26 games with Double-A San Antonio after hitting .365 with 18 homers and 74 RBI in 81 games with Single-A Lake Elsinore. And 3B-LF James Darnell is hitting .266 with six homers and 11 RBI in 20 games at Triple-A Tucson after batting .333 with 17 homers and 62 RBI in 76 games with San Antonio.

--1B Anthony Rizzo, 21, is hitting .390 (16-for-41) with five homers and 18 RBI in the 11 games since he returned to Triple-A Tucson from the Padres. He is hitting .370 on the season with 21 homers and 81 RBI in 62 games.

--3B Chase Headley’s game-tying triple Sunday came off Colorado left-hander Rex Brothers. Headley is hitting .372 on the season (35-for-94) against left-handed pitching and is hitting .524 (22-for-42) against left-handers since June 17.

Minor League Report

Triple-A Tucson (50-58): SALT LAKE 3, Tucson 2 – 1B Anthony Rizzo (.371) was 2-for-3 with his 26th double, 21st homer and two RBI. Starting RHP Samuel Deduno (4.01 ERA) allowed two runs on four hits in seven innings. He walked four and struck out eight. After RHP Pat Neshek (4.08 ERA) worked two scoreless innings, RHP Brad Brach (0-2, 6.35 ERA) suffered the loss, giving up a run on two hits in one-third of an inning.

High Single-A Lake Elsinore (54-52, 22-14): STORM 3, High Desert 2 – LHP Jose DePaula (5.53 ERA) allowed two runs on four hits over six innings. He walked none and struck out seven. RHP Jason Ray (5-3, 1.31 ERA) struck out two while allowing one hit in a scoreless inning to pick up the win. 3B Jake Blackwood was 3-for-4 with a double and RBI.

Low Single-A Fort Wayne (49-55, 19-16): Great Lakes 6, TIN CAPS 4 – RHP Keyvius Sampson was the victim of three errors and five walks, allowing two unearned runs on one hit over four innings. He struck out seven. RF Rymer Liriano (.325) wads 3-for-4 with his 48th stolen base. LF Mike Gallic was 2-for-4.

Short Season-A Eugene (27-17, 3-3): SPOKANE 8, Emeralds 6 – 3B Travis Whitmore was 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBI. SS Jace Peterson (.226) was 2-for-5 with a double and CF Donavan Tate (.299) was 2-for-5. Starting RHP Colin Rea (3-2, 1.03 ERA) allowed four runs (one earned) on four hits in three innings. He walked none and struck out two.

Arizona Rookie Padres (13-19): Athletics 8, PADRES 5 – CF Albertth Martinez (.364) was 2-for-4 with a double and a homer, LF Yair Lopez was 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI. Starting RHP Uber Paz (4.86 ERA) allowed two runs on five hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out two. RHP Tyler Norwood (0-1, 9.15 ERA) allowed four runs on one hit, two walks and a hit batter without retiring a hitter to take the loss.